Isaac Hayden has insisted that his family situation must come first this summer, but admits ‘you never know what the future holds’ – suggesting there’s a small chance he could yet remain on Tyneside.

This comes after watching the midfielder speak during the lap of honour at St James’ Park on Saturday night, with him giving some mixed messages on his future.

As you can see for yourselves below, he generally speaks like a man who has made his mind up and will reluctantly move on for personal reasons this summer, yet does make the odd comment to suggest he might stay – stating ‘IF I go’ and ‘you never know what the future holds’.

🗣 "It's been a pleasure to play in front of these fans…"@IsaacHayden65 spoke to NUFC TV after tonight's narrow defeat to @LFC.

“My family situation is more important to me at this moment in time, it’s been a pleasure to play for Newcastle United, and you never know what the future holds, but it’s been a pleasure to play in front of these fans every other week, and since I came to the club, we were in the Championship, three years on, we’ve become a stable Premier League outfit.

“I can look back on it, if I do go, that I’ve participated in something that has been quite successful,”

Whatever happens, Hayden’s performances this year have been absolutely brilliant, turning him from zero to hero in many ways.

His first half of the season was marred by that reckless red card that cost us in our second game of the campaign at Cardiff, but he knuckled down, regained his place in the side and has arguably been our most consistent player of 2019.

It would be huge boost if Benitez could keep him at the club this summer, but if not we’ll wish him and his family all the best and thank him for his sensational performances over the past few months.

After all, few young players would’ve dealt with his situation as well as he has over the past 6 months – both on and off the pitch.

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